We explain what a theocracy is and who exercises power in this form of government. Also, its origin, characteristics and examples.
What is a theocracy?
A theocracy is a form of government in which The State and political power are administered by the institutions of religion dominant in the nation. That is, as its name itself indicates (from the Greek theos“god”, and kratos“power” or “government”), it is about the government of God or, to tell the truth, of his supposed representatives on Earth: a priestly caste or a religious monarch.
This means that, in a theocratic society, the power to guide and order society is exercised by religious institutions, in accordance with the moral and social codes established by their dogma. Thus, in them there is no separation between the laws of the State and the laws of the Church, or in any case it is a very small separation.
Many monarchies can also be considered theocracies, since their kings or emperors rule by divine right, that is, because God so ordered, or they do their will on Earth. In these cases, the clergy is also a social actor with great influence in politics, to the point of being the religious authorities who crown their kings.
See also: Monarchy
Characteristics of a theocracy
Generally, when talking about a theocracy, we think of the following characteristics:
- There is a powerful priestly class and in direct or indirect control of the State through which they impose on society a more or less fundamentalist point of view in moral, social and even political and economic matters.
- Power is exercised in the name of divine will that is, by command of God, and therefore religious laws are also imposed as political laws.
- There is no separation between State and Religion.
Origin of theocracy
Many ancient peoples of ancient times were governed by a shamanic mandate that is, they trusted the mystical knowledge of the tribal priest at such a level that it was he who decided community behavior: what foods to eat and what not to eat, what to do with strangers who entered the village, etc. This power could or could not be shared with a military leader.
However, The first form of theocracy in the Western tradition appears in the biblical Pentateuch in which the Levites (descendants of Levi) formed a priestly caste, whose leadership was prior to the emergence of the kings of Israel.
Another example is constituted the Egyptian pharaohs, who were both kings and priests or even gods themselves, and their power in certain periods (such as in the reforms of the Amarnian period) depended enormously on religion.
Examples of theocracies
It is not difficult to find examples of theocracy throughout history: the Sikh Empire of India, the Dalai Lama's rule in Tibet until the Chinese invasion of 1951, or the ottoman caliphate of 1924.
The profound cultural changes of the Renaissance and, above all, of the subsequent Enlightenment, established the radical separation of State and religion. For its part, Currently, very few cases of theocracy survive, such as:
- The government of the Vatican City headed by the supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church, the Pope.
- The revolutionary Islamic government of Iran controlled since its inception by the ayatollahs (especially its founder, Ayatollah Khomeini).
- The de facto caliphate established by the forces of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) in the Middle East since 2014, following the brutal conflicts in the region.
- He Islamic State of Afghanistan governed by Muslim law (the sharia) and ruled by the mujahideen from 1992 to 2004.
Continue with: Absolute monarchy
References
- “Theocracy” on Wikipedia.
- “Theocracy” in the Dictionary of the language of the Royal Spanish Academy.
- “What is a theocracy?” (video) on La Contra TV.
- “Theocracy” in Legal Encyclopedia.
- “Theocracy (political system)” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
